By negotiating with two candidate at once, it seems like the Clippers are trying to balance hiring the best coach and the least expensive coach. If that’s what they’re doing, that’s the wrong process.

For a team in contention for a championship, this is not the time to be cheap. (Though, maybe for the Clippers, it’s always the time to be cheap.) The Clippers should pick the coach they believe will do the best job, try to hire him and if, and only if, contract talks fail, then they should negotiate with their next choice.

Perhaps, the Clippers haven’t decided on the best coach, so they’ve begun negotiations with two only so they’re prepared once they decide. If so, that’s a perfectly acceptable way to operate.

But these are the Clippers. Which seems more likely?

Really, though, the coach matters right now only in his ability to convince Chris Paul to re-sign. Scott coached Paul with the Hornets, and maybe the superstar free agent is open to a reunion.

If Paul wants only Scott, hire him. But if that were the case why negotiate with Shaw, too?

The Clippers should be doing everything they can to secure the best coach who meets Paul’s approval. I don’t see negotiating with Scott and Shaw simultaneously as a sign they’re on the right track.

Chris Paul is the best point guard in the NBA and that’s a 30, maybe 40 win team without him. Blake Griffin is a wildly overrated 1 trick pony who fills seats but has no jumper and plays no defense. It’s more ridiculous that most fans can’t see how incredibly important he is or appreciate his skills or leadership. His ball handling alone is second to none.

Chris Paul is the best point guard in the NBA and that’s a 30, maybe 40 win team without him. Blake Griffin is a wildly overrated 1 trick pony who fills seats but has no jumper and plays no defense. It’s more ridiculous that most fans can’t see how incredibly important he is or appreciate his skills or leadership. His ball handling alone is second to none.

Byron Scott is not an upgrade over Vinny Del Negro though.

1)Rajon Rondo
2)Tony Parker
3)the rest of the league.
put them side by side stats wise & CP3 dont match up. count play off games (those are earned… win or go home). Count performances on biggest stages. Sorry buddy but CP is 3 @ best…

Rondo is a stat padding headcase who self admits to being difficult to coach. His “assist streak” last year was comical with him passing up wide open jumpers to keep it going, and it was sad how the organization coddled him for his numbers. His ego is why Ray Allen left town. He’s the definition of the guy that looks so much better on paper than in actual game situations. Parker we can have the conversation about but is surrounded by talent vastly superior to anything that CP3 has ever had around him and definitely has had better coaching / a superior system and stability.

There is more to basketball than numbers, this isn’t billy beane moneyball. watch him play. Chris Paul has 3 or 4 “I can’t beleive I just saw that” dribble moves a game, is the unquestioned leader on the court who saves his energies for the biggest moments, facilitates when that’s what he needs to do and takes over games when he needs to. If he can get a coach better than Vinny Del Negro’s “drunk at 2 am playing video games with your roommate” offense, he’s going to own the West for the next 6 years.

Last year, they had two crunch time plays: CP3 drives to the rim, or kick out to Crawford. Blake Griffin makes funny commercials and has a future in comedy but he hasn’t gotten any better his entire time in the league. CP3 staying in LAC would be like LeBron staying in Cleveland.

This is the problem with all these “REPORT: ANONYMOUS SOURCES SAY” mess about him allegedly being unhappy with how this process is playing out. It’s painting him out to be some kind of prima donna and creates bias against a player you’ll tell your grandkids you were fortunate enough to watch. We, as sports fans, (of which I am also guilty, being a card carrying LeBron hater) love to pillory athletes when the straight up eye test buries all other arguments against CP3.

how about a healthy former MVP named D-Rose.
I like cp3 but the guy hasn’t won anything and does have a lot of say.
I know a guy who is HOF’er who has 5 rings, and once asked out
because he couldn’t get his way…… cp3 has to put up now.

Of the Clippers choices, I’d rank them this way – Doc Rivers (top 3-5 coach in NBA today); Lionel Hollins (top 10); Brian Shaw (unknown but ready for a shot); Byron Scott (middle of pack). If it were me running the Clippers and I thought we had a chance to contend for a title in the next 1-3 seasons, the pick is Rivers for what is most likely a late 1st round pick next season. That nets you the best coach available for a prospect, gets Paul signed, and also likely attracts free agents to the Clippers for less than market value in exchange for playing in LA with a contender and for Doc.